<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>How do I add a new topic?</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<meta content="" name="description">
<link href="../css/help.css" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8">
<link href="/library/webjars/fontawesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet">
<link href="/library/skin/morpheus-default/tool.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" charset="utf-8">
<script src="/library/webjars/jquery/1.12.4/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script src="/library/js/headscripts.js" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
    includeWebjarLibrary('featherlight');
    $(document).ready(function(){
      $("a.screensteps-image-zoom").featherlight({
        type: { image:true },
        closeOnClick: 'anywhere'
      }); 
    });   
</script>
</head>
<body>
  <div><div>
<div><h1 class="article-title">How do I add a new topic?</h1></div>
<div>



    <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock screensteps-wrapper--introduction screensteps-wrapper">
  <div id="text-content_2C0B0110-D07C-4A7D-A409-EDCD068F42E8" class="text-block-content">
    <p>A Forum must contain a <strong>Topic</strong> in order for users to create a post. See <a href="content.hlp?docId=howdoicreateanewforum">How do I create a new forum?</a> for more information about Forums.</p>
  </div>
</div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="go-to-discussions">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Go to Discussions.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/975/352/original/ba247cfc-6241-467c-b0d8-8fc63544b354.png" alt="" height="102" width="185">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_E9A42497-919B-417A-95B8-A2BB10CA4C4D" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Select <strong>Discussions</strong> from the Tool Menu of your site.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="select-new-topic">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Click New Topic.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/209/original/615f0d54-a6c6-4a2a-a2c9-84c4d08dbb38.png" alt="" height="164" width="700">
  </div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="create-a-topic-title">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Title the Topic.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/211/original/0fc486c1-e170-42d2-b56f-79664e85f1fb.png" alt="" height="84" width="806">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_DCCF7810-86CB-4727-BE45-3ECDF57619A0" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Complete the<strong> Topic Title </strong>field.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="create-a-short-description">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Enter a short description. (Optional)</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/212/original/a6abd3ae-842a-4c03-877f-0d823bc2cfaa.png" alt="" height="110" width="667">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_BA2D4A0F-C417-433F-9245-025E059F8E62" class="text-block-content">
    <p>If desired, complete the <strong>Short Description</strong> field. This information about the Topic is displayed to site participants when they view the Discussions tool.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="create-a-detailed-description">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Enter a detailed description. (Optional)</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/214/original/aa3c0cdd-2ef2-408f-a660-89f4dc325cb9.png" alt="" height="311" width="693">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_AC6E9179-83EA-49E9-B537-88D4874F4EE1" class="text-block-content">
    <p>If desired, use the <a href="content.hlp?docId=whatistherichtexteditor">Rich Text Editor</a> to complete the <strong>Description</strong> field to provide more detailed instructions about this Topic.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="add-attachments">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Add Attachments. (Optional)</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/216/original/9c561018-f14a-48f3-a3ba-d7f30132c65f.png" alt="" height="108" width="147">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_022EE8D4-CCC4-4590-9342-93EB94F5B1E3" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Optionally attach file attachments to the Topic. Click the<strong> Add attachments</strong> button to browse for and select a file from your device.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="select-topic-posting-options">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Select posting options.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/218/original/c18cd1cf-c9cb-4426-9e0b-b162577fb83b.png" alt="" height="250" width="640">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_EC75C25D-E7F1-4EB1-A4CD-9FC89715910F" class="text-block-content">
    <p>There are several discussion posting options in the<strong> Topic Posting</strong> area from which to choose. Settings selected here will apply to this Topic only.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Lock Topic</strong>: lock the contents of the Topic so students can no longer post messages. However, they can continue to read existing messages.  </li>
<li>
<strong>Moderate Topic</strong>: configure the Topic such that all messages posted within must be approved by the instructor before other students can see them.</li>
<li>
<strong>Require users to post before reading</strong>:<strong> </strong>require users to post their own response first before they can view other messages posted previously. This is a useful option if you prefer that students respond to a discussion prompt before seeing other student responses.</li>
<li>
<strong>Posts are anonymous</strong>: allow site participants to post without displaying the name of the post's author. </li>
</ul>
  </div>
</div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock screensteps-wrapper--info screensteps-wrapper">
  <div id="text-content_E0DA2A2F-C829-4CF2-98D7-BA14FF4271F2" class="text-block-content">
    <p><em><strong>Note</strong>: <strong>Posts are anonymous</strong> cannot be changed once the topic is created.</em></p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Select the availability options.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/220/original/915605e8-58b7-4e58-b37a-020578367cfb.png" alt="" height="110" width="334">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_6090B786-5739-4E33-AC8E-487EA5F9DC5C" class="text-block-content">
    <ul>
<li>Select <strong>Show Immediately</strong> to allow the new Forum to be available to students immediately after creation.</li>
<li>Select <strong>Specify dates to open (show) and/or close (hide) </strong>to configure the Forum to be available during specific dates. </li>
</ul>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="select-notifications">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Select Notifications.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/635/original/099173bf-52f5-4e68-a3dc-94d2d057be4d.png" alt="" height="111" width="414">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_6E202805-1950-4FC0-9E2C-25009359BE42" class="text-block-content">
    <ul>
<li>Select <strong>Allow email notifications for new messages</strong> to send an email notification to recipients email registered email accounts whenever a new message is posted. </li>
<li>Select <strong>Include contents of messages in email notifications</strong> to include content that was posted to the Topic.</li>
</ul>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Activate automatic marking as read.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/224/original/4917c2cf-facf-4f91-a113-e505b57b0ac3.png" alt="" height="81" width="403">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_E5F6C443-E719-4B17-8E48-750BE68EAB61" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Optionally activate <strong>Mark All Messages in Conversations Read</strong>. This option provides students with an option to mark all messages within a conversation, or thread, as read.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Specify Gradebook item.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/226/original/1ceb1160-ba29-42c0-9ecb-863fccfc0424.png" alt="" height="73" width="619">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_B79D7ED8-DB55-4AC9-93BA-75D230DB21A0" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Open <strong>Select a Gradebook item</strong> to specify a Gradebook item that will automatically be used when you grade posts in the new Topic.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock screensteps-wrapper--info screensteps-wrapper">
  <div id="text-content_EEBC64B4-6326-46B5-865A-730F8FD0B42C" class="text-block-content">
    <p><em><strong>Note</strong>: You must first create the Gradebook item in Gradebook tool before you can select it to be associated with a discussion or topic.</em></p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1" id="automatically-create-topics-for-groups">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Automatically Create Topics for groups.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/228/original/aed0cc6b-5357-4d65-8f3d-1cf35572d828.png" alt="" height="230" width="789">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_F82511FC-505F-4CB3-8969-5B71AD27C53C" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Select <strong>Automatically create multiple topics for groups</strong> to create multiple private group Topics. This will create a series of new Topics with the following default permissions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Each group member will have Contributor permissions in their group's Topic.</li>
<li>Student permissions for  will also automatically be set to the permission level of "None." </li>
</ul>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Modifying permissions</h2>
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_925F61BF-5B7E-40AF-A57C-6935B43962F9" class="text-block-content">
    <p>In most cases, the default discussion permissions are appropriate. By default, instructors are discussion <strong>Owners</strong>, and all other site participants are <strong>Contributors</strong>. The Owner can add and delete Topics, modify permissions, edit the Topic descriptions, etc. Contributors can only read, post, and reply to messages.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
        <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-2">
    <h3 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Change the Permission Level.</h3>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/637/original/2748145a-f2f9-4531-9026-88cca57294fe.png" alt="" height="436" width="734">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_189AC680-B1CF-47F6-A6ED-084C85B70789" class="text-block-content">
    <p> </p>
<ol>
<li>Click the <strong>Permission Level </strong>menu that's associated with a role for which you'd like to change the permissions. </li>
<li>Select a new Permission Level.</li>
</ol>
<p>In the example, the Teaching Assistant is provided with the Owner role for the new Topic. </p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>
 
        <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-2">
    <h3 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Or, create custom a custom permission level.</h3>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/639/original/f9c420cb-3015-4b04-a27f-7ab9116f7e6c.png" alt="" height="600" width="733">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_C82E3DA2-AFA6-4A48-91C1-E1A191544176" class="text-block-content">
    <ol>
<li>Click the <strong>Customize</strong> menu that's associated with a role for which you'd like to change the permissions. </li>
<li>Select new permissions for the role as needed.</li>
</ol>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>
 
  </div>

      <div class="step screensteps-section screensteps-depth-1">
    <h2 class="step-title screensteps-heading">Click Save.</h2>
        <div class="image screensteps-image">
      <img src="https://media.screensteps.com/image_assets/assets/006/978/641/original/9e22aca1-ce6d-4335-bc16-c1f14b3baa58.png" alt="" height="46" width="532">
  </div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock">
  <div id="text-content_756C9696-F67B-47F7-8E05-662BB079B463" class="text-block-content">
    <p>Click <strong>Save </strong>to create the new Forum. </p>
<p>Alternatively, click <strong>Save Settings &amp; Add Topic</strong> to create the Topic and advance immediately to a new Topic creation page.</p>
  </div>
</div>
 
      <div class="step-instructions screensteps-textblock screensteps-wrapper--info screensteps-wrapper">
  <div id="text-content_DF8D6305-6527-4A06-B63A-23B6D58760FC" class="text-block-content">
    <p><em><strong>Note</strong>: All Forums need at least one Topic in order to be active. See </em><a href="content.hlp?docId=howdoiaddanewtopic"><em>How do I add a new topic?</em></a><em> for more information.</em></p>
  </div>
</div>
 
  </div>


</div>
</div></div>
</body>
</html>
